11 advance to D-3 districts

River Valley senior Joseph Burns maintains leverage on an opponent during a 120-pound match at the 2019 Division III OHSAA Team Dual Championships held Feb. 10 at St. John’s Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

Bryan Walters|OVP Sports

Eastern senior Dillon Aeiker, right, locks up with South Gallia junior Justin Butler during a match at the 2018 Skyline Bowling Invitational held Dec. 29, 2018, at Gallia Academy High School in Centenary, Ohio.

Bryan Walters|OVP Sports

An assortment of goodies.

The wrestling programs at River Valley, Eastern and South Gallia collectively produced 11 district qualifiers and 16 sectional placers this past weekend during the Division III sectional wrestling tournament held at Barnesville High School and Blanchester High School.

The Raiders led the Ohio Valley Publishing area with a school-best seven district qualifiers out of the Southwest Sectional at Blanchester, with the Rebels also securing the program’s first two district qualifiers in history at the same meet.

The Eagles — the lone area program competing at the East Sectional at Barnesville — produced two district qualifiers for the second year in a row, as well as the program’s first-ever two-time advancee out of sectionals.

River Valley had nine top-six efforts and three individual sectional champions en route to a record-tying third place effort of 188.5 points. The final RVHS tally also set a school mark for most points ever scored at a sectional tournament.

Host Blanchester won the D-3 sectional crown with 229 points, while Bethel-Tate was the runner-up with 197 points. SGHS ended up ninth out of 27 teams with 57 points.

The Silver and Black received sectional titles from senior Jacob Edwards, freshman Will Hash and senior Eric Weber. Hash secured his first district berth by going 4-0 with four pinfalls at 145 pounds.

Edwards is headed to his fourth district tournament after going 3-0 with two pinfalls at 126 pounds, while Weber is headed to his third district meet after going 4-0 with four pinfalls at 182 pounds.

Senior Joseph Burns also notched his third district appearance after going 3-1 with three pinfalls while placing third overall at 120 pounds.

Freshman Nathan Cadle and sophomore Ryan Weber both secured their first district berths with a pair of third place finishes. Cadle went 4-1 with two pinfalls and two major decisions at 138 pounds, with Ryan Weber going 3-1 with three pinfalls at 220 pounds.

Freshman Christopher Goheen also qualified for his first district tournament after placing fourth at 285 pounds with four pinfalls and a 4-2 mark.

Senior Derek Johnson (160) and sophomore Brice Petitt (195) just missed the district cut after respectively placing fifth and sixth in their weight classes.

The Red and Gold had four top-six efforts, including the program’s first two district qualifiers in senior Chad Bostic and junior Justin Butler.

Butler placed third overall with a 4-1 mark and two pinfall wins at 160 pounds, while Bostic — the program’s first-ever TVC champion in wrestling — finished fourth at 170 pounds with a 3-2 mark and two pinfalls.

Seniors A.J. Addis (220) and Tanner Dennison (285) both missed the district cut as each placed sixth in their respective divisions.

Blanchester came away four individual champions at the sectional event, with RVHS and Bethel-Tate each landing three weight class champions. East Clinton, Clermont Northeastern, Reading and Miami Valley Christian Academy also had one individual champion apiece.

For the second time in four years, Eastern managed to advance two grapplers into the district tournament. Senior Dillon Aeiker also became the first repeat performer in Green and White history after placing fourth at 145 pounds with a 2-2 mark and two pinfalls.

Sophomore Steven Fitzgerald secured his first district berth by placing fourth at 195 pounds with a 2-2 mark and two pinfall wins.

Sophomore Blake Newland just missed the district cut after finishing fifth at 152 pounds with a 3-2 record and a pinfall.

The Eagles ended up 12th out of 15 teams at Barnesville with 39 points — a new school record at the sectional meet.

Host Barnesville won the event with 198.5 points, while Martins Ferry (128) and West Muskingum (126.5) completed the top three positions.

Barnesville and Nelsonville-York led the tournament field with three individual champions apiece, followed by Bellaire, Newcomerstown and Buckeye Local with two each. West Muskingum and Martins Ferry scooped up a title apiece as well.

Both River Valley and South Gallia move on to the D-3 district tournament this Friday and Saturday at Troy High School.

Eastern advances to the D-3 district tournament being held at Buckeye Local High School this Friday and Saturday.

Visit baumspage.com for complete results of the 2019 Division III sectional wrestling tournaments held at Barnesville and Blanchester high schools.

River Valley senior Joseph Burns maintains leverage on an opponent during a 120-pound match at the 2019 Division III OHSAA Team Dual Championships held Feb. 10 at St. John’s Arena in Columbus, Ohio.

https://www.mydailyregister.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2019/02/web1_2.27-RV-Burns.jpgRiver Valley senior Joseph Burns maintains leverage on an opponent during a 120-pound match at the 2019 Division III OHSAA Team Dual Championships held Feb. 10 at St. John’s Arena in Columbus, Ohio. Bryan Walters|OVP Sports

Eastern senior Dillon Aeiker, right, locks up with South Gallia junior Justin Butler during a match at the 2018 Skyline Bowling Invitational held Dec. 29, 2018, at Gallia Academy High School in Centenary, Ohio.

https://www.mydailyregister.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/24/2019/02/web1_2.27-EHS-Aeiker.jpgEastern senior Dillon Aeiker, right, locks up with South Gallia junior Justin Butler during a match at the 2018 Skyline Bowling Invitational held Dec. 29, 2018, at Gallia Academy High School in Centenary, Ohio. Bryan Walters|OVP Sports